Options
Options
What is the aim of the Option tests?
Music Medal Option tests help to build sound musicianship skills. While it is expected that candidates will play to their strengths in the Medal, it is hoped that teachers will encourage pupils to develop their ability in the full range of activities covered by these tests, within a general framework of creativity, game-playing and experimentation.
The four Options have been designed so that pupils can choose a test which best displays their developing skills. Those who are particularly fluent with notation may wish to choose the Sight-Reading Option, while others will prefer to use their creativity in the Make a Tune test by improvising a short melody using a given rhythm. Call & Response also nurtures improvisation skills, with the candidate reacting to a melodic stimulus given by the Teacher-Assessor. Question & Answer combines the elements of sight-reading and creativity.
Assessment Requirements
The candidate chooses one of four Options:
After online entry, a set of confidential tests is downloaded from the Entries and Results website for each candidate, with one test for each Option, thus giving the candidate the choice on the day. The test is administered by the Teacher-Assessor. Strict rules of confidentiality apply to all test materials.
Specimen examples of Option tests are provided in ABRSM’s Options Practice Books.
In the case of Make a Tune, Question & Answer and Sight-Reading, half a minute of preparation is allowed, during which time the candidate may try out any part of the test on his or her instrument. Assessment is made only of the performance itself and not the preparation.